Thousands attend Utah counterculture fest (Rainbow Family)

A graying man clad in a towering rainbow top hat and neon sunglasses raised a sunflower high above his head in a circle of three dozen listeners. “The thing about rainbows, the thing about this place, the thing about these people,” he said Tuesday before handing the flower to the next speaker, “is love.” The man known here as Glowing Feather is one of more than 4,000 who have trekked to the annual Rainbow Family gathering about 60 miles east of Salt Lake City. Some members greet visitors with smiles and “Welcome home,” or “Loving you.” Others ask whether newcomers are wearing a bra, invite them to play nude Frisbee or simply offer up a blunt. A council of group elders asks visitors to avoid bringing alcohol, but they stress that’s a request, not a rule. The Rainbow Family has no official creed or leaders. This week, the gathering is expected to double in size as more members pour into the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest for a four-day celebration that ends Friday. On Tuesday, about two dozen officers and a drug dog climbed the two-mile path up to various camp sites. “Leash your dogs!” Members called ahead of the officials. Forgetting to do so breaks the law in national forests. Authorities say a New Hampshire woman and a man from Texas at the celebration apparently died in their sleep, but they haven’t released details. Police also say a New Mexico woman at the campsite last week stabbed a participant, seriously injuring him. On July 4, members typically join to chant one “om” on the final day of the festival, praying for peace worldwide. “We’re sending it out through our voice and our body into the earth,” said Karena Gore, who travelled from Montana. Mike Dominguez, a father of four from Hawaii, was preparing to cook 500 pounds of pasta for the final day of the celebration...more

I'm with them on peace and love, and definitely the nude Frisbee...but 500 pounds of pasta?  Guess I'll be staying home on the 4th.